Infographic: Indexable Milling Tool Selection

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Indexable milling tools are a very efficient way to remove material.  But there are so many different designs out there, even from a single manufacturer, that it can be difficult to know which one to select.  Sometimes a versatile cutter body is needed that can be used throughout the shop on several machines and jobs.  Other times, a more dedicated cutter body, better matched to the application, can prove to be beneficial.

Let’s look at some of the different characteristics of the indexable milling bodies and inserts and discuss the effect they have on the operation.  By combining the characteristics and matching the effect to your operation, you should be able to select the right cutter body for the job.

Depending on the specific needs of the application, you may need a free cutting insert that produces a 90 deg shoulder like the M5130, or possibly a stronger insert to produce the 90 deg shoulder like the F5141.  If it’s a roughing application you might want an economical insert like the F4080, a strong insert like the M5009, or something that gets 14 cutting edges like the M3024.  For deep pocketing you can have a half effective design with a positive insert like the M4258 or a full effective cutter with a strong negative insert like M3255.  Or, just for fun, follow the links and see if you can determine the advantages of each cutter design.